QM2 to be fitted with advanced wastewater treatment system

FEBRUARY 6, 2015 — The Cunard cruise liner Queen Mary 2, is being fitted with a Wärtsilä advanced wastewater treatment system. The 2,620 passenger ship entered service in 2004 and was designed with the aim of reducing the vessel's impact on the environment through more efficient management of waste. The existing on-board system is now due for replacement and two Wärtsilä Hamworthy Membrane BioReactor (MBR 16) systems have been selected to maintain the ship's high environmental standards.

The contract was awarded by Cunard Line during the third quarter, 2014.

This installation will enable the vessel to fully comply with the IMO's requirements concerning the prevention of pollution from ships. The Wärtsilä Hamworthy Membrane BioReactor (MBR) solutions are designed to facilitate the management and treatment of both "gray" and "black" wastewater, and to monitor discharges to the sea. The technology is an advanced wastewater treatment process based on biological degradation and membrane separation. It delivers the highest quality discharge without requiring any addition or generation of chemicals hazardous to the maritime or shipboard environments.

"Environmental performance is of ever increasing importance throughout the marine industry, but especially so for cruise ships and ferries. Wärtsilä's in-house know-how and broad experience in wastewater treatment and management systems for ships were crucial factors in the award of this important contract," says Juha Kytölä, Vice President, Environmental Solutions, Wärtsilä Ship Power.